I have been a 4.5 level player for the past 4 years playing right handed. I enjoy the competition. Over the past few years, I have really enjoyed playing lefty at times. I have a very different style of play. Right handed, I am a power baseliner camped in the back court. Left handed, I enjoy serving and volleying and while at the baseliner being more of a counter puncher. I am more creative playing lefty. Also, the points are longer and I get much more of a workout. Its a real mental and physical battle for me.

So, here's are my questions:

1. Is there a way to be rated 4.5 for righty and 4.0 for lefty so I can play in two different leagues?

I don't want to abandon my 4.5 teams, but I would really like the challenge of playing left handed next year.

2. If I can only choose 1 hand, is it possible to get moved down so I can play lefthanded?

JLyon

06-21-2010 03:25 PM

no this is not bowling, so you have one NTRP rating regardless of the hand you use.

West Coast Ace

06-21-2010 03:27 PM

^^ What he said. How would the USTA know that if the chips were down in a match you wouldn't switch back to righty?

jayserinos99

06-21-2010 04:02 PM

You get one rating. Why not play 4.5 as a lefty but on a team that's not really competitive (i.e. a team with no Nationals aspirations)?

jigar

06-21-2010 04:33 PM

Man I would love to watch some clips of yours. Rating doesn't change regardless of hand.

tennisjon

06-21-2010 04:35 PM

I don't know if a 4.5 team would play me knowing that I would probably lose playing left handed.

DBH

06-22-2010 08:37 AM

You probably could join a non-USTA flex league or ladder and play lefty at a lower level.

BustedString

06-22-2010 12:31 PM

I've actually wondered about this as well. I take about 10% of my volleys on the LH now and would love to play in a league where I could be all LH. Unfortunately I'm a 4.0 RH and a 2.5-3.0LH so I will probably just have to stay where I am and increase my ambidextrous shot arsenal. It is kind of fun. I just bought a ball machine and am going to work on groundies. I don't think I would ever hit a LH BH unless it was a slice, however. The RH forehand just makes too much sense. It is pretty fun to tackle this challenge although my RH shots aren't anything to write home about so I'm not sure why I don't focus on them instead.